In recent years, travel agencies in Mexico have collaborated with investors and experts to provide better travel options. Domestic tourism in the Aztec country has experienced noticeable growth, largely due to the rise of platforms for booking accommodations.
Internal data from Airbnb indicates that the number of Mexican travelers booking lodging within Mexico through the platform has nearly tripled in the first half of 2024, compared to the same period in 2019. More than 50% of the nights booked in Mexico via the application are made by nationals. During 2023, more than 40 cities and towns received their first reservation, with over 90% of these destinations being non-urban, according to Ángel Terral, director of Airbnb Mexico.
In 2023, 850,000 new Mexican users registered on booking platforms, where around 80% of the nights booked were for national travel, and nearly 60% of the reservations were made less than 500 kilometers from their hometowns. More than 1,200 destinations in Mexico received at least one reservation that same year.
This trend has benefited Mexican families, as hosts offer a wide variety of accommodation options that meet the needs of travelers. Survey results among guests who booked spaces in Mexico showed that 39% did so to make their money go further, 33% sought a local experience and wanted to avoid tourist areas, and 13% desired flexibility in the timing or destination of their trip.
The redistribution of tourism also benefits local economies that receive more travelers. In consolidated destinations like Mexico City, where internal tourism has grown, a significant economic contribution has been generated and thousands of jobs supported.
Domestic tourism is vital for public and private strategies, so understanding its functioning is crucial. The preferred destinations for Mexicans are primarily states like Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco, Oaxaca, and Mexico City. During the first half of 2024, states like Sonora, Baja California Sur, Jalisco, Sinaloa, and Veracruz received the highest amount of guests traveling within their own states of residence.
Local tourism and travel to new destinations have been essential for redistributing the industry and strengthening local economies in Mexico, currently representing the largest portion of the tourism business in the country.
